Counting machine for laundry articles



F. B. CLARK COUNTING MACHINE FOR LAUNDRY ARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed001. l, 1947 NVENTOR. fz'wien'c .3. (74/16 Qw M s N ITTORNEY Oct. 25,1949. F. B. CLARK COUNTING MACHINE FOR LAUNDRY ARTICLES Filed Oct. 1,1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 y Q E Q "LU -r L -r w y N g H i 51 J w E IN VENTOR.

Evil/nil)? [Jar/6 B Y WW M Patented Oct. 25, 1949 COUNTING MACHINE FORLAUNDRY ARTICLES Frederic Baylis Clark, Englewood, N. .J., assignor toConsolidated Laundries Corporation, a corporation of MarylandApplication October 1, 1947, Serial No. 777,196

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a counting machine.

The machine is an improvement over that described in my copendingapplication Ser. No. 720,541, filed January 7, 1947, for Countingmachine for laundry articles. Materials of construction of correspondingparts of the machine of the present and parts not illustrated orotherwise described may be and suitably are the same as in the machineof the said copending applicaticn.

My improved counting machine is particularly suitable for use incounting laundry articles. It

' will be illustrated, therefore, by description in connection with suchuse.

In counting laundry articles by passage over a projection or series ofprojections that may be called the trigger mechanism of a countingmachine, there is difiiculty due to the articles becoming lodged uponthe trigger if single or between the several projections constituting amultiple trigger. There is also difficulty due to chattering orvibration of the mechanism as it continues to oscillate under theapplication and subsequent removal of an impulse from the trigger.

The present invention provides a counting machine that is satisfactoryfor use with articles ranging in size or mass from that of handkerchiefsto bed sheets, without an adjustment of the machine for the variation insize or mass of the articles. The articles being counted will not lodgeon any part of the mechanism and, on the other hand, will pass over andaway from the trigger member of the counting machine.

Briefly stated, the invention comprises the herein described countingmachine including a counting unit, a conveyor for the articles to becounted, a trigger member actuating the counting mechanism and extendingbelow and also above the level of the conveyor, and means connectingthis member, at a position below the conveyor, to a contact element forclosing the circuit in the counting unit, the conveyor extending both inadvance of and beyond the position of the trigger member and, by contactwith the part of the article passed over the trigger, serving to drawthe article completely over and away from the trigger.

The invention comprises, also, the herein described means for dampingthe vibration of the circuit closing device attached to the said triggermember. In one embodiment, the invention includes also an air conveyorfor withdrawing the counted articles from the end of the conveyor, firstby induced air current and then by a direct stream of air.

The invention will be further illustrated by -de scription in connectionwith the attached drawings.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my counting machine.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same machine.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view or vertical elevation showing on asomewhat larger scale the trigger and counting unit assembly with thetrigger in depressed or deflected position due to the drawing thereoverof an article to be counted.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the assembly of the trigger member withthe contact element which closes the electrical circuit that activatesthe counting unit.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to that of Fig. 3 but with a modified form ofmechanism for preventing vibration of the contact element for closingthe circuit in the counting unit.

FiFigs. 6 is a plan view of the assembly shown in I g.

Fig. 7 is a sectional side view of the delivery end of the machine ofFig. 1 with an air conveyor of special type substituted for thereceiving table of Fig. l and in position for removing the articles fromthe said end of the conveyor.

It is to be understood that the assemblies shown in Figs. 5 and 6 may besubstituted in the machines of Figs. 1 and 2 for those parts shown inFigs. 3 and 4.

There are shown conveyors In for the articles 12 which are to becounted. These conveyors are suitably in the form of spaced belts orstrip belts driven over pulleys I4 and I6 by power supplied through thepulley l8 by power belt 20.

Rising above the level of the conveyor and also extending there below isthe trigger member 22. This is suitably in the form of a series of armsor curved rods extending upwardly through the spaces between adjacentones of strip belt conveyors.

The machine includes means mounting pivotally the trigger member at itslower end and at a level below that of the conveyor ID, as upon thehorizontal rod 24 passing through mounting ring 26.

Mounted upon the same rod is the compound pendulum which in effect isthe contact element for closing the circuit and thus activating thecounting unit indicated generally at 30, this counting unit being aconventional type of electromagnetic counter.

The compound pendulum includes the primary pendulum 28 and a secondarypendulum 32 of different effective length and, therefore, of differentperiod of oscillation or vibration than the primary pendulum. Asillustrated, this secondary pendulum is disposed on the side of theprimary pendulum adjacent to the terminal 34 of the electromagneticcounter.

The secondary pendulum suitably contains a mass adding member such asblock 36 of material of high specific gravity, such as a heavy metal.

The amount of swing of the primary pendulum under a temporary impulsefrom the trigger memher is controlled by stop means including the pin 38mounted by conventional means (not shown) on the frame 40 of themachine. The amount of the swing is subject to variation by means of theset screw 42 extending in the direction of the pin 38.

Conventional wiring (not shown) is so arranged that when any part-of thependulum 28 strikes the terminal 34, the circuit is completed throughthe counting unit and the count registers on the dial thereof.

In the modification shown in Figs. and 6, the pendulum mechanism isreplaced by the wheel 44 mounted upon the shaft 24 and supportingthrough belt 46 weight 48 of adjustable mass.

The pendulum 28, of Figs. 3 and 4., and the wheel 44 of Figs. 5 and 6are mounted in fixed angular relationship to the trigger member 22, asby the set screw 50 of Fig. 2.

When the wheel 44 is used, it has a slight depression in the peripheryat position 52, this depression engaging the terminal 34 of the countingunit and causing it to close the contact with post 54 of the countingunit as the wheeel is rotated slightly.

The amount of angular displacement on movement of the chain 45, as thetrigger 22 is depressed, is controlled by the stop pin 56 mounted on theframe 40 of the machine by means not shown and the set screw 58.

The moment of the mass of the parts depending from the shaft 24 normallysomewhat more than balances the moment of the mass of the trigger member22 and its assembly in the machine. As a result, the trigger is normallymaintained in the fully raised position ready for being depressed bydrawing over it an article to be counted. In order to make this balanceeasily adjustable,- there is included a slightly compressed spring (Fig.2) disposed around the rod 12 mounted upon the pendulum by pin 14.spring is confined between the stop 16 mounted upon the frame byconventional means not shown and the nut 8 which is threaded upon therod 72.

The belt tightening means indicated at 80 are of usual type.

Tray or table 56 is disposed beyond and below the end of the conveyor(Fig. l) for receiving the articles that have been counted.

In a modification of the invention, this receiver 56 is replaced by theair conveyor 60 (Fig. '7). This air conveyor is in the general form of aT with onebranch 62 serving as the intake for the counted articles andopening just beyond and preferably somewhat below the delivery end ofthe conveyor 50. Another arm 64 of the T serves as the inlet from theblower or fan 66. At the delivery end of this air stream conveyor, thereis a pivoted delivery outlet 68 which may be deflected sufficiently todeliver the articles from the air stream conveyor to a number of usualcars or other means that are conventional and not shown for moving thecounted articles away from the area of operation.

The air stream conveyor described causes draw- The r ing of the countedarticles through the intake 82 by induced air current and then conveyingto the outlet 68 by the stream of air directly from the blower 56.

The operation of the machine will be largely evident from thedescription that has been given.

Articles to be counted, such as the flexible articles of the laundryclass that have been referred to, are thrown by a workman singly uponthe conveyor [0 moving at high speed. These articles move in seriestowards the delivery end of the conveyor and in so doing strike thetrigger member 22. No matter how carelessly the articles are placed uponthe conveyor 10, a part at least of the article will pass over thetrigger member and contact the conveyor at a position beyond thetrigger. The portion of the conveyor beyond the trigger draws thearticle over the trigger and away from it. As a result there is nolodging of the articles on the trigger. The article thus drawn over andthen away from the trigger passes towards the receiving table 56 of Fig.l or into the air stream conveyor of Fig. 'I.

As the article is being drawn over the trigger 22, this trigger isdepressed at its upper portion and thus causes shifting of the dependingpart 28.

It will be observed that the upper reaches of the conveyor belts extendgenerally horizontally and in the same plane. The edges of adjacent onesof the belts define between them narrow spaces to receive thedepressible trigger elements 22. It will be observed also, particularlyfrom Fig. 2, that the trigger elements slope in the direction of travelof the conveyor belts so as to promote sliding, over the elements, ofthe articles l2 conveyed by the belts against the said elements. Theelements at the top portions become approximately horizontal, that is,the tangents to the curve at the top of elements 22 (Fig. 2) areapproximately parallel to the plane of the conveyor belts ID. Thisbecoming horizontal or rounding oil" of the trigger elements promotessliding from the elements of the articles that move over the elements inthe step of being counted.

The spring 10 and its mounting maintain the circuit closing member 28normally in such position that the member does not close the circuit tothe counting unit. The circuit is closed only when force is applied tothe trigger element 22 by an article [2 striking the element.

In greater detail, there is in eiiect a throw of part 28 until theadjustable set screw 42 strikes the stop 38. The secondary pendulum 32does not stop at this moment but continues to swing out somewhat, asshown in Fig. 4 except that the amplitude of the swing from the primarypendulum is exaggerated in that figure. Then, when the pendulum 28rebounds from the contact with the stop pin 38, the secondary pendulum32 falls down against the side of the primary pendulum. Being out ofphase with the vibration of the primary pendulum and having alsosubstantial mass due in part to the mass of element 36, the secondarypendulum prevents repeated vibration or chattering of the primarypendulum.

After the articles have been drawn over and then away from the triggermember 22, they are either received in the collection tray 56 of Fig. lor removed by some means of which the pneumatic conveyor of Fig. 7 is aparticularly satisfactory example.

The machine is simple and dependable in operation.

Not only is it free from lodging of articles upon the trigger 22, evenof articles that are as susceptible to lodging as wet towels or sheets,but also it is very sensitive to pressure of an article against thetrigger member and is free from repeated vibration of the part whichcloses the circuit to the counting element.

It will be understood also that it is intended to cover all changes andmodifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for thepurpose of illustration which do not constitute departures from thespirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A counting machine for laundry articles and like articles comprisinga counting mechanism, spaced driven conveyor belts extending in theirupper reaches generally horizontally, in the same plane, and defining anarrow space between adjacent edges of the belts, and a depressibletrigger element for actuating the counting mechanism extending upwardlythrough the said space, being normally inclined in the direction oftravel of the belts so as to promote sliding over the element byarticles carried by the belts against the element, and at the topportion of the element becoming approximately horizontal, so as'topromote sliding off of the said articles from the element, the conveyorbelts extending beyond the said top portion of the element so as toreceive and pull forward articles sliding ofi the trigger element.

2. A counting machine as described in claim 1, the said countingmechanism including an electrically operated counting unit with anelectrical circuit and an exposed electrical terminal, a circuit closingmember for completing the electrical circuit by contact with theterminal, a rigid member mounting the closing member and trigger elementpivotally and in fixed angular relationship to each other, with theclosing member in normal position adjacent to but out of contact withthe electrical terminal and not completing the said circuit, and meansmaintaining the closing member in said normal position except at timeswhen force is applied to the trigger element by delivery of an articleto be counted against the trigger element.

3. A counting machine as described in claim 2, the said trigger elementbeing in the form of a plurality of spaced rods extending between thespaced conveyor belts.

FREDERIC BAYLIS CLARK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 989,958 Frahm Apr. 18, 19111,720,495 Steiner et al July 9, 1929 2,155,052 Byland Apr. 18, 19392,212,507 Brunnhoelzl Aug. 27, 1940 2,234,208 Thompson et al. Mar. 11,1941 2,393,305 Birkigt Jan. 22, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date515,318 Great Britain Dec. 1, 1939

